In the Shadow of the Greenbrier

By: Emily Matchar

Narrated by: Gilli Messer

Length: 10 hrs and 39 mins

Publisher's summary

Four generations. One remarkable hotel. Countless secrets.

Nestled in the hills of West Virginia lies White Sulphur Springs, home to the Greenbrier Resort. Long a playground for presidents and film stars, the Greenbrier has its own gravitational pull. Over ten decades, four generations of the Zelner family must grapple with their place in its shadow . . . and within their own family.

In 1942, young mother Sylvia is desperate to escape her stifling marriage, especially when it means co-running Zelner’s general store with her husband. When the Greenbrier is commandeered for use as a luxury prison, Sylvia finds her fidelity strained and her heart on the line.

Seventeen years later, Sylvia’s daughter, Doree, struggles to fit in, eagerly awaiting the day she’ll leave for college and meet a nice Jewish boy. But when a handsome stranger comes to town and her brother Alan’s curiosity puts him and Sylvia at risk, Doree is torn between loyalty and desire.

An immersive family saga rich with historical detail, In the Shadow of the Greenbrier explores the inevitable clash between past and future and the extraordinary moments in ordinary lives.

©2024 Emily Matchar (P)2024 Penguin Audio

Critic reviews

“A stirring coming-of-age tale and gripping family saga set against the backdrop of the famous and historic West Virginia resort. Readers will eagerly follow and root for the generations of the Zelner family as they struggle with their places in a changing world and come face-to-face with dark secrets of the past in this memorable and moving book.”—Pam Jenoff, author of Code Name Sapphire

“Matchar’s debut novel is a richly layered and beautifully written tale that immerses the reader into a sweeping saga set in the picturesque backdrop of the lush West Virginia mountains’ legendary Greenbrier resort, and its fascinating, secret history. Utterly captivating, In The Shadow of The Greenbrier is unforgettable."—Kim Michele Richardson, author of The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek

“Emily Matchar brings the iconic Greenbrier Hotel to vivid life through the engaging, heartbreaking, and often harrowing experiences of four generations.”—Diane Chamberlain, author of The Last House on the Street

“Careful research, vivid description and a solid historical basis are the scaffold on which this novel is built. But it’s the characters, with all their longings and disappointments, their flaws and their triumphs who will steal your heart and not give it back; they’ll stay with you long after the last page is turned.” —Kitty Zeldis, author of The Dressmakers of Prospect Heights

“Emily Matchar's gripping debut expertly weaves together the fascinating and fraught tale of four generations of a Jewish family. Told with lyrical prose, In the Shadow of the Greenbrier is a heart-rending story of what it means to belong and the impact of long-buried family secrets, at last, coming to light.” —Heather Webb, author of The Next Ship Home

A little slow but good story

It was a good story but a little slow at times. Overall not bad and an interesting read to learn about history.

Narration rocked!

The story was informative about the time and the history of the Greenbrier. I wanted to find out more information after reading the book. The characters became real and I think about them after listening to the story.

Genuine depiction of characters

I have enjoyed the superb narration by Gili Messer who once again, has brought to life the protagonists, their traits including language & dialects . The story of Jews in Appalachia is unique. It sheds light on an era bygone.

Terrific read

The characters are captivating, the history is so clearly drawn and placed at the foundation of the story. The author’s facility with language made this great - precise and careful. Once I got started I didn’t want to stop. (The narrator overdid it with accents, but I think that about most audio books.)

I remember when the story about the hidden bunker broke in 1992

I loved this story with one caveat; Toggling back and forth between three characters and time periods was difficult to follow. I wish we didn’t have that trend and could just follow a story chronologically from start to finish.

Excellent Historical Fiction - A Sure Book Club Choice

A sweeping saga of 3 generations - I really enjoyed the historical fiction foundation of what actually happened at the greenbrier during ww2 - it is actually something that can be visited on tour today !

What is it ? Read the book !! The rich blending of American / Jewish history and world events will be of interest to every reader - very good character development and pace of the storylines

Beautiful story & setting! Loved it!

Im a local WV lady who lives close to the Greenbrier and I’ve been lucky enough to visit for special occasions. The due diligence of the author, absolutely paints, the picture of the historic Greenbrier. if you’ve never looked up pictures, I think it would enhance you’re listening listening experience to see the opulence and unique decor by Dorothy Draper.

I absolutely loved the story line that allowed us such a unique family story that included a Jewish heritage family in rural Appalachia through the years.

I remember the Washington Post story about the bunker being exposed and declassified and this story helped build an alternate fictional tale that fit perfectly to the storyline.

I’m quite proud of being local to this area of West Virginia. I may be biased in my opinion of this book because of my experiences in the area but I do feel the author captured the essence of rural Appalachia with an interesting family story in the grand setting of the Greenbrier! I highly recommend.

Loved the historical information along with the story

I grew up in WV and going to the Greenbrier. Loved this book, the Greenbrier is a mysterious and magical place.

So Many Stereotypes Reinforced (I Really Wanted to Like This Book)

As a native of West Virginia I was excited to see a historical fiction novel about my home state and The Greenbrier. Sadly, many of the characters are not particularly likable (Sylvia in particular) and reinforce so many negative stereotypes - about people that live in the mountains, Jews, Italians, Germans…the list goes on. Every character seems to be radically stereotyped and there’s so much tension among the characters versus any healing. The passage that really did not set well with me was when Sylvia was describing what it would be like to let someone hold her baby and she said “I would feel like handing the baby to a coal miner encrusted in black dust and watching him caress her white baby feet with his filthy hands”. The emphasis on “filthy” implies the feeling of being more than simply dirt but rather disdain for the people of the mountains themselves. The narrator literally spits the words out. The tone speaks volumes. So - if you’re like me - and have a father or grandfather that was coal miner - I suspect you’ll have the same reaction as me. As for the descriptions of the Greenbrier - well, it’s described as looking like “Pee Wee’s Playhouse” at one point. I am confused about why bookstores in WV are celebrating this book - I can only reason that they haven’t yet read it.

I do not do well with characters being one dimensional stereotypes. People are multilayered and, honestly, mostly good. The author and narrator both seem hellbent on division versus inclusion and healing and finding redeeming qualities in their neighbors.

A book with a lot of potential but it totally missed the mark for me.